Doc Rivers, first-ever traded NBA coach?

There is an agreement in principle in place between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Clippers that will send Doc Rivers to the Clips in exchange for an unprotected 2015 first round pick. This poses as an interesting potential precedent for the league to address. As a general rule coaches cannot be traded. Rivers also has a non-compete clause attached to his existing contract with the Celtics, which still had three years remaining. In order for him to coach another team, Boston would have to release him of the said clause. The draft pick will be serving as compensation for the release.

Out of all the active coaches in the NBA, Doc Rivers, Erik Spoelstra, Gregg Popovich, and Rick Carlisle are the only ones who have won an NBA title. Why is there so much value that has been put on Doc Rivers’ coaching services? At the end of the day, from a big picture’s standpoint, this move is still about a player. This is all part of the Clippers’ attempt to woo Chris Paul (183 cm, Wake Forest’05), arguably one of the world’s best point guards, to sign long-term deal with them. It has been reported that Rivers has agreed to terms with the Clips to sign a three-year deal worth $21 million, which is the same amount he had remaining in his existing contract with the Celtics.

For weeks, representatives from both the Celtics and the Clippers have come to and left the bargaining table multiple times, with many variations of trade scenarios being put forward, declined, and then reworked. The original “master plan” was for LAC to trade for both Kevin Garnett and Rivers, with them sending center DeAndre Jordan and draft picks to Boston. The Clippers would then wait to sign Paul Pierce after his expect buyout with the Celtics. In the end, the decision of both parties to just trade for Rivers will set the stage for having the best chances to avoid a veto from the league. For now, any potential trade between Boston and LA for Kevin Garnett could get vetoed as it could be construed as the “second part” or “phase two” of bigger, more complex deal. This strongly weighs down any chances Garnett has of joining Rivers and Chris Paul in the 2013-14 season. KG, if unable to be moved to LA, could just play one more season with Boston and then retire after that.

The expected approval of the league of this move now sets into motion the idea of rethinking the rule on whether or not coaches can be traded. They and their contracts can be looked at as assets of teams and used as pieces when trade frameworks are constructed. If approved this will indeed a first and open doors for similar deals to take place in the future.